Yavapai-Apache officer released from rehab center months after being shot by suspect

Arizona police officer, his wife thank community for endless support after he was badly injured in the line of duty

CHANDLER, Ariz. - An Arizona police officer who was shot in the line of duty has been released from a rehab center where he spent nearly two months recovering.

In February, Yavapai-Apache Police Sgt. Preston Brogdon was shot by a suspect outside a Camp Verde convenience store.

The suspect in the shooting, 39-year-old Valentin Rodriguez, was found dead in the Verde River by a father and son who were fishing.

After the shooting, Brogdon was taken to HonorHealth Hospital in Deer Valley, and at one point was listed in critical, but stable condition.

"The bullet went through his belt, then punctured his small intestine, then on the way out, it shattered his pelvis and his hip," said Brogdon's wife, Bailey.

On Feb. 15, Sgt. Brogdon underwent multiple surgeries to repair damage to his abdomen and was transferred to an intensive rehabilitation facility in Chandler.

Yavapai-Apache Sgt. Preston Brogdon

"We are happy to share that Sgt. Brogdon has been moved out of the hospital’s ICU. He continues to show incredible strength and determination to heal," said Yavapai-Apache Chief of Police, Nathan Huibregtse. "We are so grateful for Sgt. Brogdon’s medical team, as well as every person and agency who has reached out in support and prayer. Preston has a long road to recovery ahead of him, and we will stand behind him every step of the way."

On April 12, Sgt. Brogdon was released from the rehab facility, as his brothers and sisters in blue from other Arizona law enforcement agencies lined the hallways, showing their support as he made his way to the car for his caravan home.

Sgt. Brogdon has a long road to recovery, but everyone agrees it will go so much better from home surrounded by his family. Brogdon's wife, Bailey, has thanked the community for their constant prayers and support.

"I never experienced something like that. To go from being able to jump walls and lift a bunch of weight, to not being able to get myself out of bed – it was heartbreaking," he said.

His wife was by his side as he left the rehab facility.

"He very well could have died and God was just like, ‘No, it's not your time,' and we're really grateful for that," his wife said. "We praise God for my husband. My miracle."

Brogdon thanked the community for its support, and he says the release marked the "best day ever" for him.

"Long time coming. Didn't feel like it was ever going to happen. I'm home, and it's awesome," he said. "I can't say thank you enough to the community. Like I said, the thoughts, prayers and donations, the being there for my family, it's just amazing. I wanna thank Arizona. I wanna thank the people of my town.

Brogdon is a five-year veteran of the force. He is the father of four young children.

"It was overwhelming," his wife said. "We felt so loved and the amount of, I don’t know, just the show of force that our community provided, it was humbling, it was truly humbling for us."

To help donate to his recovery, visit the GoFundMe page here.